Electrical Engineer II FullLifecycle Hardware Scientific Instrumentation

Electrical Engineer II – Photonics / Instrumentation – Denver

Location: Greater Denver, CO (Boulder/Lafayette Area – Relocation Available)

Compensation: $100–110K Base Salary

Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, 401K

Contact: Andrew Millar; and;

Iris Scientific is a specialty recruitment agency laser focused on commercial and technical roles within the North American Scientific Instrumentation industry.

We’re partnering with a global photonics innovator (confidential) to hire an Electrical Engineer II for their Colorado R+D Center.

This is a hands‑on engineering role focused on designing real, manufacturable scientific instruments
—not just prototypes.

You’ll work directly with the Engineering team to develop mixed-signal electronic systems used in advanced photonics applications, including laser control, signal detection, and precision measurement.

Unlike purely R&D-focused roles, this position sits at the intersection of:

• circuit design
• system integration
• manufacturing reality

You’ll be responsible for taking designs from concept through build, test, and release to production
, ensuring they can be manufactured, serviced, and scaled in a high-mix, low-volume environment
.

• Designing electronics that actually get built, shipped, and supported in the field
• Thinking beyond the schematic:
  How will this be assembled? Tested? Repaired?
• Working on complex, real‑world systems where analog, digital, and control all intersect
• Getting hands‑on with hardware—debugging, testing, and refining designs
• Learning photonics and precision instrumentation in a fast-paced R&D environment

• Design and develop mixed-signal electronic systems (analog + digital) for scientific instrumentation
• Contribute to products such as:
  • laser feedback and control systems
  • lock‑in amplifiers (signal extraction from noise)
  • precision measurement and modulation systems
• Translate designs into production‑ready hardware
  , including:
  • clear documentation
  • test procedures
  • manufacturing instructions
• Ensure designs are serviceable and repairable in real‑world use
• Support build, debug, and validation of prototypes and early production units
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (mechanical, software, photonics)
• Participate in customer‑facing technical discussions and industry events (e.g., Photonics West)

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering (or similar)
• ~4–6 years of experience in electronic product development

• Hands‑on design of mixed‑signal circuits (analog + digital)
• Experience taking at least one product through:
  • design → build → debug → production handoff
• Strong understanding of design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for test (DFT)
• Experience creating:
  • engineering documentation
  • test plans
  • build or manufacturing instructions

• Familiarity with circuit design and PCB development tools (Altium preferred)
• Experience with lab instrumentation (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, etc.)
• Exposure to control systems, signal processing, or feedback systems (PID, modulation, etc.)

• Low‑noise or precision analog design (e.g., low-drift, low-current sensing, signal extraction)
• Embedded systems experience (microcontrollers, communication protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, USB)
• Familiarity with signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) concepts
• Experience supporting NPI or low‑volume production environments
• Exposure to automated test systems (Python, LabVIEW, or C/C++)
• Hands‑on debugging and rework (e.g., SMT soldering, board-level troubleshooting)
• Exposure to photonics, laser systems, or precision instrumentation
• Limited experience with programmable logic (FPGA/CPLD)

• US Citizenship or Green Card required
• Willingness to relocate (relocation support available)